D-Blog Week: Day 7 - Diabetes Hero

I do have a diabetes hero - it was an easy question to answer.  He does not have the disease but has been my strength and support since I was diagnosed nearly 9 months ago.  He is my boyfriend Ryan.  We had been dating for over a year when I was diagnosed.  He was the first person I went to when I left my doctors office in shock and held me close as I broke down.  He took me to the emergency room, stayed with me while they hooked me up to all kinds of machines, brought me some food when I was starving and they would not let me eat (bad on my part, but I was hungry!!).  He went to my house and brought me everything I needed for my hospital stay and more.  He took care of my two dogs and visited me everyday.  When I was discharged he stayed with me at my place and made sure I was okay. He attended my diabetes education classes with me.  When I was unable to drive because of my eyes and then my feet, he drove me everywhere I needed to go - endless appointments!  When I had to have eye surgery he took me and was there when I came out of recovery.  When the nerve pain in my feet and legs got to the point where I could hardly walk he stayed by my side and let me lean on him.  He has brought me juice and held my hand during my lows.  Since diagnosis he has dried many, many tears and made me laugh when I was sure I would not laugh again.  He encouraged me to learn everything I can and to get back to the sports I love once I was able.  He pushes me when needed but never nags.  He has been there every step of the way and has not blinked an eye.  I don't know how I can ever thank him enough for all he has done and continues to do.  He truly is my diabetes hero!

D-Blog Week: Day 6 - Saturday Snapshots

I went camping for the weekend with my boyfriend and it was fantastic.  The weather was nice and it was good to get out of the city.  We biked, walked, fished, relaxed, napped, ate and played a lot of cards.  All weekend my blood sugars were perfect - I mean perfect!  Maybe it was because I had no stress...was active all weekend...not sure but it was wonderful.  On Monday we packed up and I had a good lunch.  I was conservative on my insulin as we had gone for a hard bike ride and also due to the energy used to pack up.  I checked my blood sugar an hour from home, about three hours after we had eaten, and it was a perfect 5.7.  Got home safely and boom.  Out of nowhere came a bad low, the lowest I have had that I know of.  I felt like garbage and it scared the crap out of me. After such a good weekend with great numbers, diabetes came and knocked on my door to remind me it was still there and was still unpredictable!

D-Blog Week: Day 5 - What They Should Know

I think I could think of about a hundred things I wish people knew about this disease.  I am fairly newly diagnosed (8 months ago) and I am amazed at the comments I get from people, people I know and a lot that I don't.  I really want to learn as much as I can about diabetes so that I can educate others as well.  My list of top things I wish people knew:

1.  I did not get diabetes from eating too much sugar. 

2.  No I cannot be cured from exercising and eating well.  If that was the case I would not have even gotten it as I have always exercised and eaten well.

3.  Without my insulin I would die, plain fact.

4.  Yes I can eat what I like, however I need to know how much insulin I need to take to cover it.  Please don't look at me disapprovingly when I reach for anything other than broccoli. Oh, and I cannot eat that bread or pasta because I also have celiac disease.

5.  It is not just a matter of a few needles a day and off you go.  It is a very fine balancing act and requires a lot of attention.

6.  There are two Types of diabetes, Type 1 being very different from Type 2.

7.  Yes I do think it is okay to test my blood sugars and inject insulin in public.  I don't expect you to eat in the bathroom so why should I take care of my disease like I am ashamed of it.

8.  Exercising with diabetes is a very fine balancing act and is frustrating beyond belief.

9.  No you cannot catch diabetes from being around me (someone I work with actually asked me that).

10.  Having diabetes is just goddamn hard.  It is a full-time job and you never get a break.  It can be extremely frustrating and inconvenient.  Having low blood sugars can be very scary and until you experience one you cannot really understand how it feels. Having high blood sugars makes you feel sick and also like you are failing yourself.  It is emotionally difficult as well as physically difficult.  It really, really sucks.

Today's picture is one of my boyfriend and I on vacation last year.  He is truly amazing and makes me smile everyday!

D-Blog Week: Day 4 - Fantasy Device

I love this topic!  I can think of a ton of cool diabetes gadgets I would like, most of them involving sweet stuff like lasers and mind reading capabilities.  Of course my dream gadget would be a working pancreas, but alas it is not to be.  

The most realistic fantasy device I would like to see is something that can read the carbs in your food automatically.  I am thinking that it would be an app that could be downloaded on your phone, or maybe is incorporated in your meter or pump.  Basically you would have the food in front of you, whether it be a meal or something at the store, and with a quick scan, information would immediately be given to you on the carb content.  Kind of like when you go to the self checkout at the grocery store and scan your items...only much smaller and no noise (and way cooler!).  I would love not to have to read every label, do research on the carb content of foods when eating out and it would make cooking things like soup at home much easier.  One swipe and it would automatically let you know the carbs and away you go.  Could help to avoid the highs and lows when trying to guestimate!

Today's picture is one that my brother photoshopped of my head on Usain's Bolt's body.  And he put it in my office Christmas Party slideshow!  Makes me giggle everytime I see it.

D-Blog Week: Day 3 - One Thing to Improve

Holy moly (wow did I just say that?), one thing to improve on.  I can actually come up with a whole bunch of things I need to improve on diabetes wise and I think this will be true for a lifetime.  I have learned that this disease is pretty unpredictable so will require a lot of hard work forever.  

However if I think of one thing I would like to improve on at this time to make things run smoother, it would have to be balancing my insulin and food intake before and after exercise.  I am on MDI right now and am finding this a struggle.  When I exercise I like to go for it.  I crave the challenge and discipline and don't like to do things half-assed.  I love to run, really and truly love it.  When I was diagnosed the first thing I thought was "how will this effect my running?".  Then I suffered with the terrible pain in my feet and legs and was unable to run for 6 months - it was torture.  As soon as I could stand to wear my shoes I started to run again (as well as swim, bike, box and weight lift).  I realized right away that it was going to be a challenge as my blood sugars tanked during my first 8km run.  

Since getting back to exercise I have started to notice different trends with different exercises.  My blood sugars stay relatively stable during an hour swim, when lifting weights and during yoga.  For boxing as long as I start with a blood sugar hovering around 9.0, I can finish my hours class in the clear.  Running is a whole different story.  It is very unpredictable.  Sometimes I can leave the house with a blood sugar hovering around 10 and come home after 10km with a nice 5.0.  These are the great days!  Then I have days like yesterday for example.  I took two units less with my lunch in anticipation of my run and before I set off for 11km I was at 11.3, a bit on the higher side.  I ran for just over an hour and when I got home I knew I was low right away.  Tested and yup, 3.1.  Not sure why.  I do carry dextrose in my sports bra and carry a phone with my credit card just in case.  I never feel the lows during my runs which is not good.  I have to learn to test partway through and treat if necessary, even if it showing a downward trend.  I have to learn what is the best to eat before and also after as I tend to go high about an hour after running and then can go low hours later, like in the middle of the night. Needless to say I am an experiment of one.

So to summarize - I need to track my workouts, what is eaten before, what my sugars are before, during and after and try to fine tune my routine.  I really want to get back to the longer distances and know I have to work on this before I can.  My goal is to be training for another marathon by next year so I will continue to experiment and work with my diabetes team!  I hope that one day, sooner rather than later, I will be able to get a pump (very expensive here in good old Alberta!).  I think this will help me and my goal.

To keep with the theme of running, today's picture is one of me running.  It was my fourth marathon in Winnipeg Manitoba and where I got my current PB of 3 hours 48 minutes.  This picture is about 1.5km from the finish and I was determined to get under 3 hours 50.

D-Blog Week: Day 2 - One Great Thing

I have been thinking about this topic for a while now and it is harder than expected.  I was only diagnosed 8 months ago and am learning so much every day about managing this disease.  I expect that will continue every day forever!  There are some things I am pretty good at.  I am good at checking my blood sugars often, I always have things on hand to treat lows, I eat incredibly healthy and exercise everyday. But these are things I am pretty good at, not great at.  There is always room for improvement!

I asked my best friend what she thought I was great at when it comes to my diabetes.  Without a pause she said that I am great at being positive and determined....and I think she is right.  Don't get me wrong, I have cried with the best of them, I have stomped my feet and thrown my hands in the air in despair.  However most of the time I keep my chin up.  I know that there is nothing I can do about having this disease, so each day I vow to respect it and do whatever I can to manage it.  I remind myself often that things could be much worse - I could live somewhere where I would not have the access to the medical supplies I have, the education and support system.  I can still run, swim, bike, play with my nieces and nephews, I can work and I can laugh a lot.  In fact I am more determined than ever to enjoy my life and be the best I can be (wow that sounded like some sort of commercial for the army).  I guess I have always been a glass half full type of gal and having diabetes has not changed that.

So yes, that is what I am good at.  Keeping positive and very determined!

Here is my picture of the day that makes me smile.  I went to Mexico two years ago with my brother, his wife and my darling nephew Logan (he was one in this picture).  I had just come through a really bad year with the break-up of my marriage and on this holiday I learned to love life again.  

D-Blog Week: Day 1 - Find a Friend

I have not been blogging for very long and am very excited to participate in my very first D-Blog Week.  Thanks to Karen of Bitter-Sweet for organizing this!  I don't really have any followers, but nonetheless I see it as a daily challenge and I am a girl who likes challenges!  Today's topic is Find a Friend.  I have been a blog reader for a long time and only just recently a D-Blog reader (never thought about reading diabetic blogs before having diabetes).  Here is a list of some blogs I am currently reading:

The Iron You 

Since I am very passionate about fitness, food and healthy lifestyles I love this blog!  It is very informative and I have gotten some great ideas for training and recipes from this blog.  I love to run, swim and bike and this blog inspires me to consider getting more into triathlons and maybe, just maybe, one day fulfill my dream of completing an Ironman.

six until me 

This was the first D-blog I came across and another one I follow daily.  I love Kerri's passion for life and her sense of humour.  She has me laughing out loud often and I have learned a heck of a lot from her blog.  She is a great advocate for diabetes awareness!

Canadian D-gal

I happened upon Scully's blog when searching for other Canadian diabetic bloggers.  Hers caught my eye and I am glad that it did!  I have gone back and read all of her posts and they have made me laugh so hard and cry as well.  I feel I can really relate to her lifestyle and some of the struggles she describes.  Her passion for sport inspires me and has made me really believe that I can do anything even though I have diabetes.

Diabetes and Celiac Sunshine

I found the link for Nikki's blog when on Scully's.  I have to say that I was excited to find another blog written by someone that not only had diabetes, but celiac disease as well.  Being new to both conditions has left me, quite frankly, scared.  From reading this blog I am learning that life can be "normal" and just takes some extra effort.  I have already used some of her recipes and ideas in the kitchen.  Also, her positivety makes me smile!

I have been reading many other blogs, but so far these are the ones that stick out.  Daily I find new blogs to read and look forward to reading all the new posts.  Someday I hope to meet other members of this D-community!!  Each day I also want to add a picture of something that makes me smile.  Today's photo is:

Yup - another one of my doggies!  This is the day I brought Kasper home - Basil was really not too sure :)  If I am having a bad day this photo cheers me up every time.